I love these pictures from my friends at North Staffs YFC (Johnny, Libby and Katie) and I hope they make you laugh as well.

A DVD writer and … a Palm pilot!

Without wishing to sound too ‘whatever’ I think these funny pictures in some way sum up the church in how it acts in mission.

We say one thing which we understand and we assume others understand what we mean with our actions and terminology – whereas the truth is that we are a laughing stock because of the bizarre images our words and actions have given to others.

Is it all about perception?

A very weird experience on the motorway this morning.
It was incredibly foggy in places. I don’t know about you but I love the look of fog, the effect it has on the light, the way the shadows melt into each other, but I hate driving in it.

As I got closer and closer to a vehicle this morning, the words ‘bomb disposal’ gave me quite an eerie feeling. I followed this around the M25 for a fair while and it struck me that only a few months ago I probably would not have given them a second thought. Interesting how a couple of events can change your whole feeling and attitude towards things. It did alos remind me of this photo which makes me laugh as well!

I went to see my great friends in Solent YFC today.

It’s always a good place to visit as I genuinely love the people (Martin, Carly and Ed) that work there – and I’m not saying that just because Ed reads this blog!

I went to Solent for 2 reasons – to catch up with my friends and to talk about mission with them. Martin has such a cool vision for the estates of the area, and I’m going to really love seeing how things progress on some of the estates that Solent YFC may be working in.

Thanks for a great day!

Today has been an interesting day of mixes of emotions and stuff.

I opened an email that literally made me cry! It must go with yesterdays post and maybe there is something in this ‘in touch with your feminine side when you reach 40 sort of stuff’.

The email was from someone I used to work with in YFC and they have decided they would like to be one of my personal supporters my giving me (well…YFC actually)some money each month.

YFC national staff have to raise 50% of their salaries and I have just found out that I am drastically falling short of the target for this coming year. I think I need another 20 people … actually I only need 19 now!!

I hate asking for money! It’s not even asking for me, but I still hate doing it. It’s embarrassing, its uncomfortable and it puts friends and family in a difficult position if you do ask.

Today, however, I have been reminded of the other side – how both exciting and humbling it can be to experience someone wishing to personally invest their hard earned cash in you to enable you to continue to make a difference.

As I sit and write the faces of my supporters come to mind watching me, a bit like angels I guess. It’s a great motivator – I don’t want to let God down …. but I certainly don’t want to let the faces down! I think knowing these people invest in me gives me that little extra kick when I am feeling lazy.

Anyway – you know who you are, and I know you are probably embarrassed as you read this – but you are a star and you can only imagine how amazingly encouraging you have been to me over the years and not just now! Philippians 2:12-18 in the NIV is for you … continue to shine like a star my friend in that place where God has placed you.

Today I went to the Bishop of Rochester’s staff meeting with Phil.

It was a good experience but strange also to be given a 30 minute slot to talk about how YFC and the diocese could work in partnership in mission with young people.

This could be a great and exciting opportunity. We could be on the edge of something quite exciting and pioneering.

I went from this exciting meeting to SEITE. Two contrasting edges of the church. Leaving a meeting of bishops, archdeacons and the dean looking at working together in mission to joining a class looking at the history of daily prayer and the liturgical cycle as part of my training so that I can ‘do mission’ officially within the church.

It’s no wonder I get confused quite easily at the moment!

A funny for a Monday morning.
You can find more here.

We’ve had a great weekend and have felt quite privileged and lucky this weekend. It’s been fantastic and relaxed; a fantastic way to celebrate our 40th’s.

We stayed in the Crown Plaza at Blackfriars which was conveniently close to the Tate modern where we spent Saturday afternoon and wandered around Rachel Whitehead’s ‘Embankment‘.

We wandered a lot and sat in a number of coffee shops. The show and meal were great and it was lovely just for us to be able to wander and enjoy each others company. A beautiful sunny Sunday morning saw us walking along the Strand, after a great breakfast, up Drury Lane and around Covent Garden.

I don’t want to sound sloppy but …I’ve come away from the weekend remembering why I love Sarah and why we got married some 16 years ago! I’m not saying that I had forgotten that we loved each other, just that I’d forgotton some of the why and where that love came from – from where, and why, it initially started. Spending time together, alone, meant I was reminded of this all over again.

I guess it’s obvious that the same can happen with me and God – I know that we love each other, but it is easy to forget why – and one way to remind myself is to spend time alone together remembering why.

A number of people made this weekend possible: Tery and Jo; Tom, Beth and Joe; Ernie and Janet; John and Judith – big big thanks to you all!

Sarah and I are now off for the weekend to be free!

The grandparents have the children and we are off to London just to wander and spend time together, eat together, watch Guys and Dolls (which stars Ewan McGregor), spend the night in a nice Kensington hotel to then idle time away before returning home sometime Sunday.

We go feeling very lucky to have such nice parents and great friends who have planned and funded this weekend which was a present for our 40th birthdays earlier in the year. Thank you to those concerned – we love you loads!

It’s going to be cool just to be away together – I can’t remember how long ago it was since it was just the 2 of us for such a long time. I’m really looking forward to it.

I’m sure I’ve said that before! But the really good thing is this whole new community thing which I really like being a part of. I caught up with Gordon for a coffee in Bluewater today and we chatted mission, ideas, shared funny stories … and all because we blog!

It’s cool as apart from new friends, if gives new opportunities to meet people, fresh opportunities to be inspired and enables you to share ideas and hear people you would otherwise never knew existed. In some ways I think it makes you feel less mad to hear that others are on similar, but not identical, journies!

Blogging really is cool!

the new Little Britain started tonight.
At one point I had tears running down my face and was laughing so much it hurt.

It was great, too, to find this link on the web where you can download the first ever ‘bitty sketch‘! Now my sides are hurting again!